It is so hard to describe just how much I hate Pepsi-- to me it is evil incarnate, and that is about the kindest way I can put it :-)
So, here’s my little review of Coca-Cola’s main competitor:
One summer day, just six months or so ago, the Pepsi Challenge hit Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco. I had just purchased my lunch, an olive salad sandwich, and some spicy tuna rolls from a local deli, and was headed out to the Plaza to enjoy the sunshine, which had just broken clear of the traditional San Francisco fog. Just before I hit the Plaza, I noticed a large number of Pepsi booths blocking the entrance to my lunch spot.
At first, I was a touch irate, after all, what gave Pepsi, the nastiest beverage in the known universe, the right to block my way to enjoy my food? It was then that I noticed the banners and signs enticing me to ’’Take the Pepsi Challenge.’’
Heck, thought I, might as well see if I can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi in a blind taste test, since I can sometimes tell in a restaurant setting, where they don’t tell you that all they have is Pepsi. I’d heard that 60% of the American public couldn’t tell the difference, and I was also curious to see if that might be the case with me.
So, I walked up to the nearest booth, and told the worker, ’’I want to take the Pepsi Challenge.’’
’’Ok, and how about you, sir?’’ he asked someone standing near me.
’’Ok, why not?’’ quoth the bystander.
The worker prepared the test below the tabletop, to only increase the level of mystery surrounding the Challenge. My fellow challenger and I looked on, rather amused.
The test tray was brought up, with two Dixie cups of what looked like identical brown liquids. These cups were in front of the corresponding cans, which were covered with a white plastic cover.
I sipped out of the first cup, and was delighted by the familiar bite, burn, and soothing that I’d come to love. I was pretty sure it was Coke, but you never know. I sipped the second one, and was immediately revolted by the thick, syrupy sweetness, that hit my tongue like an Everlast boxing glove powered by Mohammed Ali. Yeeccchhh! I wanted to spit it out, but with the worker looking at me, I really couldn’t. Several seconds after I swallowed, that cloying, nauseating flavor remained. I was forced to take another sip of the first cup to clear the flavor away.
’’I like the first one better, and it’s Coke, ’’ I said to the worker, who all of a sudden began to ignore me in favor of my other Challenger.
’’Let’s see what this guy has to say...’’ commented the worker.
’’Well, ummm, I like the second one better.’’
The worker revealed the results by lifting the cover. The first one was indeed Coke, and the second one Pepsi.
’’Here’s a free keychain for each of you. Everyone wins with Pepsi, ’’ said the worker, glaring at me.
Well, after my potent lunch, especially the spicy tuna rolls, I figured my tastebuds were totally jammed, so for the heck of it, I thought I’d take the Challenge again. Maybe with the pepper lingering on my tongue, it would be more of a challenge...
Suffice to say, the results were the same. Pepsi lost yet again, and I was forced to wash the cloying flavor down yet again with the Coke. The nice thing, though, was that the Pepsi people were considerate enough to give me twice the amount of Coke, perhaps in silent commiseration with my disapproval of their drink.